When I heard about some of the ships forming the Azur Lane band, I was ecstatic and very proud of them for their initiative. When I heard Akashi had "volunteered" to help out, I was still happy, but a voice in the back of my head encouraged caution. Still, I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

Some time later, I heard word that construction was complete. I assumed it was of the stage and practice area. I was very much wrong. When I stopped by to check on things, I found the grassy area where the stage was planned to be built empty. Instead, I saw five individuals in costume. Akagi, Gascogne, Hipper, Cleveland, and Sheffield's appearances looked similar to what they usually wore, but there were some changes. They looked like they were messing with their instruments.

Confused, I approached and asked what the hell they'd been doing for so long. The most clear answer I got out of any of them was "Practicing." Now that I was closer, I realized their rigging looked different. I thought for a moment, apologized, said they all looked great, and went to the real mind behind the shenanigans.

Akashi was elusive at first, but eventually spilled the beans that her involvement was to seize the opportunity and test one of her back-burner experiments. Her argument was that vibration was the ultimate destructive force, and nothing could constantly withstand it for long without breaking. Therefore, Akashi decided to weaponize it. The "guns" on everyone's riggings actually shot concentrated sonic bursts. The idea was to shake our enemies apart. Akashi also made them compatible with the (still barely understood) siren energy cells as temporary bursts of extreme power for, as she put it, "Funzies, nya!"

I was less mad, but still swore she'd still see hell for messing with our carefully-balanced budget (again). The band still stayed together and played like normal. The sonic cannons, when turned to low power, made for sound equipment that shook my teeth. At first, they played only popular and upbeat songs, but ever since the Grinch Zeppelin incident, they'd diversified. It was a welcome change. Along with the changes came a few new members, with various motives. Regardless, the band was excellent for harbor morale.

However, there came a day when my curiosity for their combat potential finally made me get off my ass and put them through a few exercises. They performed fairly well. While their destructive potential against their practice targets was lower than conventional weaponry, the sonic weapons ignored all armor. That really got the mind working and my respect for Akashi went up a little. A lot of effort went into synchronicity with each other, which made sense. It did seem like they were having trouble multitasking on playing their music and fighting. It looked like they were learning an entirely new type of combat, where actions had to be performed to a rhythm. It hurt my head to think about, but it also gave me an idea, and I waited a few more weeks for two individuals to stop by the port.

The day before their first trial against live targets, I sat on a bench with Z23, one of the band's acting managers. The both of us sat in the back and listened to the band practice. I munched on some jelly beans. I marvelled at their dedication to music(mostly), despite their individual differences. There were some tech issues at the beginning, but once everyone got into the swing of things, they really impressed me.

They said we could walk on water.

They said we should knock on wood.

We did none of these things and they said we could sing,

So we sang about falling in love!

I asked, "They sound pretty good to me. What do you think?"

Z23 crossed her arms and said, "I've seen them play better. I feel…"

I asked again, "...like what?"

"Like they're all just too different to get along perfectly. Some of them are here for reasons other than to just play. Some of them… their hearts aren't in it. It shows. No amount of discipline from me seems to help."

"Do you feel like they need something?"

"Yes. I just don't know what."

I popped another bean in my mouth. "Sounds like they need something to put them together, you know?"

"Yes, they are all different people, and they need something to unify them."

"How about a victory?"

Z23 scratched her nose. "That could be it. They haven't performed to anyone outside of the fleet."

"What about a record deal? What if they published an album or something?"

"That… could do something good for them. It certainly would bring in funds if they do well. However, neither I nor Akashi want to slog through the legalities."

Another jelly bean, this time green. "Yeah, I get that. Plus, I really don't like the idea of putting a celebrity lifestyle on them."

Z23 let her imagination run for a bit, and retreated from where it ended up. She exhaled and said, "That would be a PR nightmare."

"I mean… yeah. That, too. We don't need any cameras here."

They said that we were getting smarter.

They said that we were something new.

We were none of these things and they said we could sing,

So we sang about… Cut! I forgot the line!

I asked, "So, what's your opinion on us having a band?"

Z23 thought for a moment and then said, "Well, at first I thought it was unnecessary. I felt it would take away time from more important things."

"Uh huh."

"Then, I thought of what you told me about how everyone needs to do something outside of work, like a hobby. After that, I realized it could be a good thing, because we're more than… more than just…"

"A boat?"

"Am I?"

"Are you? Am I more than just a bag of water and minerals?"

They said that we were the new beginning.

They said that we were a brand new start.

We were none of these thing and they said we could sing,

So we sang about the state of the art.

I continued, "Yeah, isn't it funny? Suddenly, you need and desire things you didn't before. You never had to worry about eating and drinking for obvious reasons, but now you do. Then that opens up an explosive can of questions. Sailing the seas is in your blood, but how do you know how to walk?"

Z23 said, "I don't know."

"Who taught you?"

"No one. I just… knew."

"And that's when I start asking stuff and realizing just how little we really know."

Z23 seemed a little shaken. "Then… what am I? Why do I have so many memories? Waking up in Bremen, escort duty in the Baltic sea, Biscay, and then at Cherbourg it goes dark."

I replied, "Because I believe you really did do those things. I believe you really did house more than three hundred people. I believe you were the place where they lived, worked, and unfortunately, some died. That's a perspective I really have a hard time understanding."

Z23 said, "It's a perspective I've always had. I really couldn't do much, but they all believed in me. They all took care of me. And when, despite all my armor, I couldn't protect some of them, I felt like I'd failed. Maybe I still am me now, but it's different. At first, I didn't do anything. The crew did. Now, I do everything, but I don't have to think about it. I used to look down on the crew. Well, not down. It wasn't from anywhere specific, but… matronly, I guess. Now I can only look forward."

"Ever get the feeling like you know how to do many things, but have no idea why?"

"Y-yes."

"Yeah, it certainly makes the head hurt. Akashi's got some theories. She could be right, but that would mean a lot of you would have to be men. Hell, I have no idea. You are whoever you say you are."

They said we were the second coming.

They said we were a different breed.

We were none of these things and they said we could sing,

So we sang about the birds and the bees.

That made the two of us quiet for a while. We watched the band finish up the song and discuss amongst themselves. However, Z23's face became more concerned.

Eventually, she asked, "Then, if that's true, does that make me a bad person?"

"How?"

"Well, I knew about what my country did. We did some pretty terrible things, because now I know they were. But, back then, we all believed we were right. I believed we were right. Then everything slowly collapsed. After the surrender, I wasn't so certain anymore. If Akashi is right, and I am the sum of what they believed, does that make me one of them? If I was made by people for an evil reason, does that make me inescapably evil at heart? All of those crimes against humanity… Shouldn't I be punished as well? Was that me?"

I sat back and deeply exhaled. I looked over at Z23. She looked like she was in pain and guilt started to take her over. I really had to think on this one.

"No."

Z23 shook, "You're… you're just saying that. You're just saying it to be nice."

"No."

"Why, then?"

"If someone kills another with a car, is the car responsible?"

"Well, it was the murder weapon."

"It was the tool. A tool has no choice in how it's used."

"But I'm a ship made for war! Do you mean I was just a tool?"

"I think I made a bad analogy, but in a very blunt way, yeah. You… were a very advanced way of throwing rocks from the ocean. So, in that sense, no. You were used by people for evil purposes, but that doesn't make you evil yourself. Besides, you're more than that now."

"But I also did some of those things again under Iron Blood."

"Yes, but then you broke free of the siren's control and refused to reenact history for their own ends. Most of the really nasty things were done by your land-based comrades. Iron Blood curiously lacks those today. It's almost like the sirens attempted to re-create what was, but really didn't understand the fundamentals. Look, a lot of the people in this port… are not morally good. I mean, we get along as best we can, but war does not make nice people. Deutschland for example… you can see it in her eyes. Nothing's changed about that girl except for the flag she flies."

"Then, I don't have to worry about what happened back then?"

"I don't think so. You're fine. Except now, you can make your own decisions and choose your own path. I'm very happy you decided on this one. At the end of the day, the past is the past. Don't forget it, but don't dwell on it too much. I don't think you need forgiveness because there's nothing to forgive. Besides, if we start pointing fingers and demanding reparations, everything'll fall apart."

"I… thank you very much."

"Besides, look at what you're doing now: Managing the fleet band, not because you were ordered to, but because you wanted to."

I continued, "Do you… do you remember what we did in northern Taiwan?"

Z23, "Somewhat. I remember you becoming very upset."

"They were cultists and fanatics worshipping the sirens. When they'd stolen a siren energy cell, they threatened to detonate it in Taipei if we didn't retreat and let the sirens occupy the entire island."

"Yes, it was embarrassing. I can't believe anyone could worship something as terrible as the sirens. I remember the cultists setting up camp outside of the city. I also recall the Empery refused to do anything about it because of the way things were(and still are)."

"So we had to. Remember when it was just you, Naka, and Oite? Do you remember when we nearly hit their deadline?"

"Yes, we fortunately found the location of their camp almost minutes before they planned to launch the cell into the city."

"And then we bombarded their camp into nothing."

"Of course. We had to."

I looked down at my knees. "Yes… yes we had to. I watched their ransom video, many times actually because we were looking for clues to their whereabouts. They all sounded so normal. They spoke like it was the simplest conversation and the obvious choice. They were… they were so right. You could see it in their eyes. They looked at the camera like we were the insane ones. They were eloquent, to the point, and even ended their message with a wish for a brighter future for us all, hand in hand with the sirens. Then, we killed them all. It wasn't even fair. Bastards hadn't even spotted the ships on the water until the shells were already in the air."

Z23 looked at me worriedly. She asked, "What's the point of this?"

"My point is that war's a paradox. You said you felt right. During the war, the Allies felt right. I'm not saying nobody is truly right or wrong. We both clearly now know that the Axis were a scream of insanity that threatened to deafen the world. The moral compass simultaneously is subjective and cannot be subjective. The two of us have massively different upbringings and we don't see eye to eye on many things. That's why I as a commander have to think from others' perspectives when I lead."

"I still follow."

"The paradox is that sometimes, eventually, someone who looks just like you simply can't exist alongside you. The paradox is that in order to kill someone, you have to forget they're a person. If I thought of those people as equal to me in that camp, I wouldn't have been able to give the order. They were just so massively different, that it was them or me."

"But you said… you said morality also can't be subjective."

"I did. If I argue that, then there is no morality, and we all suffer a fate worse than death."

Z23 held her head. "I can't even wrap my head around the idea. How do I know I am right?"

"Because you are. Because you are one of the most powerful people alive, and you have to make sure you are. Because you have the potential to cause damage to the human race that may last centuries, as do I. It's something that terrifies me. "

"What about the opposite?"

"That, too. So, when you realize you have the power to judge those who may or may not see the future you envision, try to not think too much on who you remove. It just hurts. The more powerful you are, the less good you're allowed to be. At least that's what I feel."

"I know you said I'm not responsible, but this doesn't help at all."

I sighed. "Yeah, it's not supposed to. It's just a little warning."

The band finished the song and the two of us rejoined them for drinks. Z23 usually used this time to coordinate the band, but was quiet.

I said, "You guys kicked ass. Excellent work."

Gascogne replied, "Statement: If by that you mean we performed well, then I agree. Our cohesion and mechanical skills have improved considerably since our first performance of these songs."

Hipper said, "I hope so! All of this practice has to lead up to something."

I asked, "What's that?"

Hipper replied, "What's what?"

"What's the thing you're leading up to?"

She didn't have an immediate answer. Instead, Cleveland said, "I don't have one. I just play 'cus it's fun."

I said, "That sounds good to me. I hope everybody else is the same way. Only thing I expect out of all of you is to be enjoying yourselves. So, Hipper, why do you do this?"

Akagi turned, looked down, and asked, "Yes, I never heard from you why you decided to join the band."

Hipper sputtered, "Well, you clearly were missing a lead guitar, and I just so happened to have a fantasy of myself playing one, so I-"

Sheffield interrupted and said, "No lies."

"I am not-"

"No lies."

"Fine, I admit, I'd taken an interest in the rock culture that came out of the Union, so I started listening to it."

Akagi said, "From what I recall, it's the only kind you listen to."

"Regardless, I was listening to it after having a hard day."

Cleveland chuckled, "You mean we ran out of imported beer."

"Can you stop interrupting me?! If you don't want to hear it then shut up! Anyway, I thought to myself, 'Do the sirens have their own music?' It seemed like a legitimate question."

We all nodded.

"So, one day while on escort duty, we were ambushed by a small raiding group of sirens. I still had that question in my head, so I decided to… ask."

Sheffield said, "The 'Do You Have Music?' incident."

"Yes, but it wasn't an incident. It was a legitimate question and maybe, just maybe, it might've been useful. Turns out, they don't even know what music really is."

We all said, "Really?"

"Yeah! I was like, 'Huh?'. How's that even possible? How can you be alive and not even understand that? They don't know the meaning of metal! The rhythm of rock! The substance of shred! It's just blank! I'd sink myself if I realized I was that way! To even…"

Hipper slowly shut up as she noticed all of us staring at her while she went on her little tirade. She quietly finished, "Anyways, so… uhh… I do it to spite 'em. Also… you know… If we beat them at singing, then that's cool. Because sirens… and songs… yeah."

I said, "Good. Good to hear you're passionate about it. Maybe we'll make an album to play at the sirens for fun."

"Yeah, whatever."

Much later, Z23 sat in her room staring at her dresser. The clock on her nightstand read midnight, yet she still gazed at one particular drawer. It contained one of the last pieces of her past. The door to her room was locked, just in case anyone drunkenly walked in.

She slowly opened the drawer and looked at two flags. Both of them were immaculately folded and sported black, white, and red colors. They represented two similar nations, but one was significantly older. Z23 carefully unfolded the older one and looked at it's center symbol. After she became a part of Azur Lane and was permitted to read on more things, she still had trouble comprehending just how differently she felt about this flag now. It was a part of her history. It was a part of her. Yet, it shook her to remember what it represented. She unfolded the second flag and put the two next to each other. They looked so similar. What they meant was also similar.

She folded up and put away the old flag. She considered destroying it, but remembered what her commander said. While it could never and should never be flown again, it should never be forgotten. She wouldn't keep it out of shame, but she would keep it as a reminder of how far she'd come. The other, newer, flag she held up. It was her flag. It represented her, or it was at least supposed to. She unfolded it all the way and hung it over an unused space in her wall.

Her new flag's reputation may be stained, but now she had the power of choice. As someone under the flag, she vowed to try her hardest to make it something she was proud of.